HR's worst nightmare: Backstabbing employees

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According to new research, 40% of people in the UK are currently locked in some kind power struggle with their colleagues or even their boss. Additionally, more than a third (37%) of respondents to the survey said that they felt a co-worker was trying to sabotage their career and over half of those saying it made them distressed and anxious.

The study that surveyed the workforce across Britain spoke to 1500 adults was commissioned in conjunction with the DVD release of Armando Iannucci’s dark comedy The Death of Stalin. It had some other astounding revelations.

• 29% said that there is someone at their workplace who is making their life a living hell.
• 14% claimed there is more than one person making their life miserable
• 31% are keen to get revenge on their work nemesis.

ALSO READ: Getting revenge on your abusive boss

Insights from the study also revealed that one in five employees has been forced to take time off work due to bad feeling in the office and 30% of those said the situation has left them very upset. A further one in five adults said that they had been undermined by another member of staff and 17% said a rival colleague had bad-mouthed them to the big boss. Reasons for feeling persecuted include being  excluded from important meetings and not being considered for a promotion

• 17% of Brits have clashed with peers over salaries
• 33% have come to blows over wanting to take the same leave
• 13% fought with teammates as they were going after the same position

Despite these astounding statistics on just how wrought these office politics can be, 23% said they refused to be intimidated and have tried to get a colleague back by setting them up to fail. 58% of people believe most companies are full of office politics and backstabbing.

The highest statistic of the data showed that 70% of respondents have colleagues that they don't trust and 7% of people saying they distrust everyone at their job. Seven in ten responded that they strongly believe in the old saying ‘Keep your friends close and enemies closer,’ 19% said they don’t count any of their colleagues as friends.

In fact, on average the research showed that people complained about another colleague at least four times a day and 22% had been spoken to by their boss because of a poor relationship with a colleague or teammate. Of those studied, 69% said constant battles with their colleagues wore them down. However,  31% said rivalry in the office was a good thing as it made you more competitive and successful.

ALSO READ: Rumour has it… office politics considered necessary to get ahead in career